Treatment of grating structures



H. S. NAGIN TREATMENT OF GRATING STRUCTURES July 18, 1950 Original Filed Dec. 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 yENTOR July 18, 1950 H. s. NAGlN Z,515,311

TREATMENT OF GRATING STRUCTURES Original Filed Dec. 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 18, 1950 H. s. NAGIN 2,515,311

TREATMENT OF GRATING STRUCTURES Original Filed Dec. 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR (m4 E/Z/ July 18, 1950 H. s. NAGIN TREATMENT OF GRATING STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec.

Patented July 18, 1959 UN ITEDT PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT- OF GRATING: STRUCTURES) Harry. S; Nagin, Philadelphia, .Pa., assignor" to.

Reliance 'Steel Products Company, Mc'Keesport; Pal, a corporation'of Pennsylvania Divided and ;thisapplication February 7, 1945, SerialNo. 576,618

This invention'relates in general to'treatment of grating structures. It is particularlyusefui in connection with so-called open bridge'floors and will be described with reference thereto; ialthoughit is to be understood that it isfalso useful in treating other surfaces.

Open-grid bridge floors, ofttimes referred to as open bridge floors are formed of main bearing bars laid vparallel to one another at spaceddise tances apart and cross bars which are disposed. angularly to the main bars and rigidly connected thereto. In place of' cross bars which maybe straight or bent, reticulated bars are sometimes used to connect the main bars. The reticulated bars extend along and between the main-.bars, and are secured thereto but do not cross the main bars. 7

Such floors rest directly on supports to which they are secured.- The spaces between thebars making-:up thefloor remain open and the tops of the floars themselves form the traffic surface, which has a more or less honeycombappearance.

Under certain traflic conditions, it has been observed that vehicles passing over such surraces-have a noticeable tendency.- to skidt'especiale ly in wet or snowy weather; There is-also'a tendency for a vehicle. to wander especially when the floor includes reticulated bars.

I have discovered that by grooving-the-trafiic supporting surface of the bars,. the. anti-slip quality of" the floor is much improved and the tendency of vehicles to skid-and Wander is'iovere come. I have discovered .amethod'. for grooving or scarfing the floor which effectively overcomes the difficulties recited. The scar-fing operation may-be performed by metal cutters, saws, grinding dis'cs'or by burning.

In the drawings I have shown for-purpose of illustration certain preferred apparatus which may be used in the practice'of the method of my invention. In the drawings wherein like characters of reference denote like parts throughoutf Figure 1 is a fragmentary View in plan of such apparatus;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section along the line- 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation alongthe lineIII-III of Figure 1; I

Figure 4 is a, vertical sectional view along the line IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is-a vertical sectional .view alongthe line V-V of Figure 2;

Figure 61s a, vertical sectional'vievv along the line VI-VI- of Figure 1',-

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic planview showing one pattern of grooves--madeaccordingto'my invention;

Figure 8 is. a diagrammatic plan view showing the groove pattern'illustrated in 'Figure' 7 applied to one design of bridge floor;

Figure 9 .is a. diagrammatic p1anview-of another pattern of grooves;

Figure lo-is a sectional viewiin elevation'of a bar showing the grooves intheitop' edge;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of amodified detail of 'theapparatus;

Figure 12 isg, fragmentary vievrin' plan of-a modified apparatus. that mayjbe'used in the practice of my method;

Figure 13 is an end viewinel'evation ofFi'gure 12, someofthgdetails being omitted;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View alongthe line XIV-'--XIV of Figure 12';

Figure 15 is a view in elevationshowing a portion of the apparatus along thetline. XV-XV of Figure 12;

Figure 16 is a sectional. view along the line XVI-XVI of Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a view/ partly in elevation vand partly in section oft-a modified detailof the struc: ture,vand- Figure 18 is afragmentary View. in plan of a known type of flooring which may, be treated in accordance with the invention In the drawings (Figures 1 through 6). there is shown: an apparatus for providingigroovesin the top surface-ofthe bars which form' an openbridge floor, and thusimproving the friction qualities thereon The apparatuscomprisesin general a -metal. track member or frame 'TfOf inwardlyfaced channel bars Hi 'on'--edge'- and a carriage C" considerably shorter than the-frame andniountedtherein on wheels! I and. 12 so asrto permit longitudinal movement ofv the carriage with respect-- to the frame, but no appreciable side movement'or up and down. movement. On the bottom Ofthe" track member Ta. number of inverted cup mem bersiF-are fastened; These dished members permit th'e track member to be readily moved or skidded-to desired... positions along the somewhat uneven surface :offithebridge floor, which it is desired to treat.

The carriage C comprises a platfor-rn- Hi of sheet metal or plate, th longitudinal sides of which are bent to form flanges It" onwhich-the wheels H and I 2 arejournalled. The-wheelsll and I2 bear against the top-and bottom flanges respectively of theside channel bars ofthe frame.

Theplatform. M has. mounted thereon a" ro- 3 tatable cutter or kerfing instrumentality l6 which is mounted on shaft I1 and rotates therewith. The shaft I1 is rotatably received in the U-shaped bracket IS, the ends of which are in turn rotatably and slidably mounted on a shaft [9, the ends of which are journalled in the bearings 20 and 2|, mounted on the platform l4. A window 22,. through which the operations of the cutter It may be observed and repairs and adjustments performed, is placed in the platform at a suitable location as indicated.

the shaft [9 by means of a Y-shaped shifting fork 23 which may be adjusted by operation of the cooperating threaded rod 24. The ends of the rod 24 are received and axially restrained by bearings 25 and 26 on platform [4. On one end of the rod a hand wheel 2'! is fixedly mounted.

The up and down movement of the cutter I is controlled by the operation of the wheel nut 28 received in slot 29 in the Z bracket 39 mounted on the platform l4. Passing through the nut 28 is a threaded rod 3| which is pivotally connected to a link 32 which in turn is pivotally connected to the bracket [8.

The shaft I! has a splined end which extends beyond the bracket 18, and mounted on such end of the shaft is a gear wheel 33 which meshes with an intermediate flanged gear 34 rotatably mounted on shaft [9. The projecting flanges of gear 34 laterally engage the gears 33 and 35, the gear 34 also meshing with the gear 35 which may be driven through the V belt and pulley drive 35 from the gear reduction box 31 which in turn is connected through the clutch 38 with the prime mover, here shown as an internal combustion engine 39. The speed of the engine 39 is such and the power transmission system to the cutter I6 is designed so that the cutter is rotated at the speed desired for economically and expeditiously cutting or scarfing the traffic surface comprised of metal main bars 40 and cross bars 4!.

A transverse screw 42 for moving the carriage C is rotatably mounted and restrained against axial movement at its ends (in brackets 43 and 44') on the end members of the track member or frame T. The screw is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame T. Mounted on the platform [4 and between the spaced brackets 45, 45 is a Worm drive 46 which engages the screw 42 and is in turn driven from the gear reduction box 31 through the interposed clutch 4?. The screw 42 mayalso be turned by the hand wheels 48 fixed on the screw at each end thereof.

Hold down clamps are connected to the track member T at suitable locations, here shown as the center points of the frame ends. Each of the clamps comprise a bracket 49 which may be conveniently welded to the frame. The bracket has a projecting portion, through a vertical slot in which a threaded rod 50 of a T member, having wing portions 5|, slidably extends. Each of the wing portions have slidably and rotatably mounted thereon an anchor bar 52 having a horizontally extending hooked end 53. The upper end of the threaded rod 50 is engaged by a threaded hand nut 54. The anchor bars can be swung to a position such as indicated by the broken lines 52a in Figure 4. This is a convenience when it is desired to move the frame T. When in anchoring position, as in Figure 3, the hooked ends 53 of the anchor engage the bottom edges of the bars 40 forming the floor, there being arcuate skid members 55 secured to the under side of the frame T at a position adjacent the hold down The cutter mounting bracket I8 is adjusted to a desired position along clamps. The apparatus may be mounted on wheels, such as for example as are described in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures 12, 15 and 16.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic representation of a portion of a bridge floor in which the grooves are cut in bands in the pattern indicated. In this figure the side of the bridge floor or curb is represented by the line 56 and the frame T is disposed so that the cutter bar moves along the bridge floor at a suitable angle, say of about 45. The bearer bars of the floor usually extend parallel'to the curb, although in some instances they extend at right angles. The longitudinal axis of each series or bands or cuts 51 and 57a run in difierent directions, and this obviates the tendency of the grooves to urge side movement of the wheels of a vehicle traveling on the bridge floor. In Figure 8 the bands of cuts are shown diagrammatically in relation to the bars forming the bridge floor.

The pattern of the cuts shown in Figure 9 differs from the pattern shown in Figure '7. The pattern consists of bands of cuts 65 extending at an angle to the curb GI and cross bands 32, and bands '63 whose axes are at an angle to the axes of the bands 60 and 62. The transverse components of the bands are less than the distance apart of the wheels of the usual automobile. About three feet is a convenient length.

In Figure 10 there is shown a portion of a bridge floor bar 40, the top of which has been cut or serrated in accordance with my invention. The grooves bear numerals 58 and the lands the numerals 59. The dimension of the groove may be varied, for example it may be A to wide and the lands from 5 1 to /2. It is to be understood that these dimensions are illustrative only and that they can be larger or smaller.

In Figure 11' there is shown a portion of a modified end of the carriage C. In this construction thecutter bar 64 is mounted so as to project beyond the end of the carriage C and beyond the end of the associated frame member T. The cutter is driven by the gear 65 which is rotated by a convenient drive such as for example that shown in Figures 1 and 2, but in such a case it would be desirable to replace the gear 34 by a link belt. An uprand down adjustment of the cutter bar 64 as well as a lateral adjustment can be arranged as shown in Figures 1 and 2. By mounting the cutter bar in this manner the operator is enabled to cut slots closer to the curb line.

In Figures 12 through 16, I have shown a modified apparatus for practising my invention. The apparatus includes a frame 66 of inwardly faced channel section, the ends being chamfered and a flat carriage Bl movable therealong on wheels 58, 69 and 10 j ournalled in the turned down flanges H of the carriage G'l. The frame has dished cup members 56 fastened to the bottom at suitable places. The wheels 68 and i0 bear against'the bottom flange of the side members of the frame and the wheel 69 bears against the top flange. The carriage 61 is moved along the frame by means of a suitable feed screw 72, one end of which is rotatably mounted in the, frame bearing 13, but not axially slidable therein. The other end is received in nut I4 secured to the carriage 6?. The nut is arranged'so'that it can be readily disengaged from the screw 12. To'move the carriage 61 rapidly, I also provide a rack on the frame and a cooperating pinion 16 on the carriage. Such an arrangement could also be used on the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, or any other type of quick return mechanism could be employed.

Swivelly mounted on the carriage 61 at TI is a burner holder plate 78 having one edge curved around the swivel and teeth formed in that edge to form a curved rack 79. The rack cooperates with a pinion 80, whereby the plate 78 may be moved around the swivel 77. The outer edge of the holder plate is recessed as shown at 8|.

Mounted below the recess 8| are the burners 82 which are each swivelly and removably suspended from the shaft 83, one end of which is rotatably received in the spaced bearing 85 between which a hand nut 84 is threadedly mounted on the shaft 89 and serves to move it sideways. The other end of the shaft is mounted in spaced bearings 86 between which a worm and gear arrangement 87 is slidably but not rotatably mounted on the shaft. By operation of the worm the shaft is rotated and the burners moved to position them with respect to the surface to be treated.

It is customary to feed the cutting tips with two gases, oxygen and acetylene. I provide two manifolds 8B and 89 mounted on the holder plate to contain these gases. Suitable flexible con nections 98 and 9| lead from the manifolds 88 and 89 respectively to each of the burner bodies. Gases are fed to the manifolds from suitable cylinders 92 and 93 mounted on the carriage Bl.

At the corners of the frame, I provide four retractable wheels 94 (see Figures and 16). Each wheel is supported on an axle 95 secured to a block 96 on the end of a vertical shaft 91, the upper end of which is threaded and is received in a bracket 98 attached to the frame. The shaft is moved up and down by the cooperating threaded wheel nut 99. The block 99 is slidably received in a groove in the bracket 98. The retractable wheels are convenient when it is desired to transport the equipment for any distance. The wheels are vertically adjustable and can serve to bring the track member to level position or a position parallel to the surface to be treated, or again the wheels can be retracted to allow discs 66' to rest immediately upon the surface to be treated. A similar arrangement could well be provided in the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2.

At desired points, here shown as three, I provide hold down clamps I00, similar to those already described.

In Figure 17, I show a groove cutter which consists of toothed discs llll of suitable material mounted against rotation on a shaft I02, and spaced the desired distance apart by spacers H33. If desired the discs IOI may be abrasive discs or metal saws; in which cases the cutter will have to be driven at a suitable speed.

In Figure 18 I have shown a plan view of a typical open grid floor. The floor consists of spaced apart bearer bars I04 and crimped bars or reticulated bars I05, joined at the junction point by rivets. Of course, the open grid floor may be made from spaced bearer bars and intersecting cross bars. No matter What form the floor takes the top surfaces of the bars can be grooved to give a better traction surface.

In operation the frame is set in desired position on the grating surface and the tracks comprised of the side channels I!) are caused to establish a fixed pathway along which the scarfing tool is operated to cut a band of grooves in one operation and for a desired distance. The length of each band of grooves should preferably be such that the wheels of a vehicle traveling on the floor will be at all times on bands which are angularly disposed to each other. Various patterns of bands may be used.

The invention has been described in connection with open grid floors, but it is evident that the method can be used wherever it is desired to cut grooves in an exposed surface, and I contemplate practicing the invention (with the apparatus preferably equipped with abrasive discs) for grinding parallel grooves in the surface of an uninterrupted traffic surface, such as for example is presented in a concrete or asphalt roadway, or in the surface of a so-called armored floor such as is often used in bridge floors. The grooves which are thus out can be left open or may be filled with an abrasive or a material different from that forming the surface. The traffic structure which it is desired to treat may be a bridge or the ordinary hard surfaced roadway laid on a grade or on the level.

The application for this patent comprises a division of my application Serial No. 428,141, filed December 16, 1941, now Letters Patent No. 2,382,898, granted August 14, 1945.

It will be understood that the method defined in the appended claim may be practiced with other apparatus than that described.

I claim:

The method of increasing the anti-slip qualities of an open grid floor for vehicles, comprised of spaced metal bearing bars and angularly disposed intermediate bars, which consists in positioning a track above said floor to extend in a direction running at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the floor, moving a cutter along said track and cutting a band of grooves in the traffic-sustaining surfaces of said bars for a distance across the floor, and then similarly cutting a band of grooves in such surfaces of the bars at a different angle for a further distance, with the transverse components of each of said distances being less than the tread width of the vehicles normally traveling on the floor.

HARRY S. NAGIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,180,953 Steckenreiter Apr. 25, 1916 1,629,782 Elderedge May 24, 1927 1,678,362 Sloan July 24, 1928 2,131,571 Rinehart Sept. 27, 1938 2,244,742 Tyson June 10, 1941 2,246,216 Nagin June 17, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 343,692 Great Britain Us... Feb. 26, 1931 

